Cigarette-machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets Sheet v1. H. BOHLS.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

No. 472,101. PatentedApr. 5, '1892.

w.. M A m E DHL U Uf m w. www Few dm. de, l c. Nm, uw .E d. w o .um mmm \m m m mi n n mmm w. fwkm H w m vm N M mm u Nm/ m.. ON. s m m M W e om o v .hw im@ v Amw A Mme-55H5'.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. BOHLS.

CIGARETTE MAGHINE.

No. 472,101. .l Patent'ed Apr. 5 1892.

TH: onlus wenns co., moro-urna., wnsnmamn, u4 c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. H. BOE-LS. GIGARETTE MACHINE. No. 472,101. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- H. BOHLS.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

No. 172,101. PatenfedApr. 5, 1892.

8*@ C) 87"@ O C G (D G Mlllllll!!! l llll l l mail .lll |I.

Ff-C114.

W'I'Tm355135:

m: Noms Perlas co., vnofuwo., wAsulwmu, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BOI-ILS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOHLS CIGARETTE MACHINE COMPANY, OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 472,101, dated April 5, 1892. Application filed October 16, 1888. Renewed August 30, 1889. Again renewed April 21, 1890. Serial No. 348,915. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BOHLS, a citizen of the United States,`residing in the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Im provementsin Cigarettelvlachines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cigarette-machines of the kind that form the ro ller and apply the Wrapper in continuous or indefinite length and then cut this continuous cigarette into lengths suitable for cigarettes in an automatic manner; and my ilnprovements embrace certain novel construction and I 5 combination of parts and mechanisms, as hereinafter explained, producing a machine of considerable degree of simplicity and having the capacity to turn out cigarettes of uniform quality in a rapid manner.

2o The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims. These parts and mechanisms are constructed and combined for conjoint operation, substantially as hereinafter described, the accompanying drawings that form part of this specification being referred to by gures and letters.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention. Fig.

3o 2 is an end View taken from the left-hand side of the machine. Fig. 3 shows the principal parts of the tobacco-feeding and filler-forming devices and the parts that feed, fold, and paste the continuous paper Wrapper. This 2 5 view is a front elevation on a larger scale, with the parts generally in longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cutting-device. Fig. 5 is a top View of the parts that produce the continuous filler and apply, fold, and paste 4o the continuous paper wrapper. A portion of the upper parts of the mechanism is removed to expose parts beneath. Fig. 6 is a crosssection taken vertically through Fig. 5 at the line rc and from the left-hand side of that line. Fig. 7 is a detail top view, on a larger scale, of the parts in Fig. 5 that are located on the line y y. Fig. Sis a detail View of one of the sprocket-Wheels,'showin g the adjustable bearing for the spindle of the Wheel and be- 5o ing a section taken at the line a: oc, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 isan elevation in detail of the parts situated on the left-hand side of the line z z, Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the parts that lie to the right lof the line @c Fig. 5l Fig. 1l shows 55 the pasting-trough and feed in front elevation. Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the parts that feed and fold the Wrapper. Fig. 13 is a top View of the same parts. Fig. 14 is avertical section taken 6o at the line x Figs. 12 and 13, but on a larger scale. Fig. 15 is a top View of the outer end of the feed-belt and its supporting-rail. Fig.

16 is a top View of another form of stationary support. Fig. 17 is a front View in detail of 65 the rollers that are arranged to loosen up and shape the continuous cigarette before cutting it into cigarettes.

In this machine the inclined table is supplied with tobacco, which is properlyloosened 7o and dressed or brought to uniform condition free from bunches, and then distributed in a continuous strip or rod of regular thickness on the surface of a feeding-belt that travels along the frontedge of the table. This preparatory operation is performed by a number of workmen standing side by side in front of the belt who take the tobacco from the inclined table and properly place and shape it in a narrow strip on the endless traveling belt. 8o Provision is made for the largest number of feeders thatthe capacityof the machine When run at its highest speed Will require in order to keep the feeding-belt always filled and the line of tobacco in a continuous rod thereon. 8:

For the purpose stated the inclined table and feeding-belt are extended at one side of the machine to a suitable length for thenumber of feeders required. The end of the feedingbelt joins and combines With afiller pressing 9o and feeding device composed, essentially, of four iiat belts arranged in pairs to inclose the four sides of a square, of which the feedingbelt itself constitutes the bottom one and the opposite belt forms the top side of the four traveling surfaces. Into and through this space the tobacco-is carriedby the joint movements of the four belts traveling at uniform speed, and in passing through it the tobacco is pressed and brought into shape for a conloo tinuousfiller. Beyondthispointthe continuous paper Wrapper meets the continuous filler and is carried forward with it through the folding and pasting devices. These are situated directly over the grooved rim ot a large wheel, in the groove of which the continuous cigarette is confined and rests both during the finishing operation and while the continuous cigarette is passing to the cutting device. The wheel,being mounted on ahorizontal axis, is arranged between the pasting device and the cutter, so that the iinished continuous cigarette rests in the grooved rim for about one-half its circumference, and all portions of the pasted edges after leaving the pasting and folding disks pass around one side of the wheel before reaching the cutter. By this means the edges are thoroughly set and dried before being brought under the cutter. The continuous cigarette is held in the groove by a top belt that runs from the pasting device down to the cutter. All these parts are driven from two principal shafts 2 and 3, of which the bottom one operates the cutter and drives the belt-cleaning brushes, and the top one 3 gives motion to all the other parts. This shaft 3 is connected with a drivingpulley 4 by a clutch 5 for throwing oi the power without stopping the cutter. The clutch-lever G is placed at one side convenient to the hand ot` the rst workman, connection being made by the long rod 7. Shaft 3 is supported in boxes on the etfds of brackets 8 8, projecting from the upright back frame, and carries tive bevel-gears 9, lO, 11, 12, and 13. The first one of these gears gives motion to thehcrizontal folding-disk 15, which also applies the paste between the edges of the continuous paper wrapper just before the uppermost edge is folded over, the connection between tlie disk-spindle and the bevelgear being made by the system of upright shafts and spur-gears shown in Figs. 1,2, and 5. This manner of making connection is rendered necessary in the present construction by the position of the parts, the disk 15 being situated in t'ront of the grooved wheel 20, that carries the continuous cigarette. The upright spindle 1G of t-he disk is mounted in the bracket 17, and is connected with the shorter upright shaft 23 in front of the grooved wheel by the gears 18 19 22. The lower end of the spindle is geared below the rim of the grooved wheel into the longer shaft 24, that sets behind the wheel and is connected with the driver 9 by the bevel-gear 25. The grooved wheel hung on the horizontal shaft 2G receives continuous motion from the second driver 10 through the gears 27 2S 2S), which change the motion at a right angle to the driving-shaft 3 and engage with a toothed rim 30 on the wheel. The third driver 1l operates a short belt 32, that travels in the top of the continuous liller-shaping trough 33 and directly upon the tobacco, the continuous paper wrapper being under and in contact with the tobacco at this part of the trough. The channel 34 in the trough is of the same width as the continuous filler to be produced,

and from about the middle forward to the discharging end it is out away at the bottom to let the continus paper wrapper into contact with the tobacco. The belt 32 and the wrapper travel at the same speed, and thus draw the tobacco through the channel to suitably compress and shape the continuous iiller. At the sides of the trough are converging plates 35 35, that start from the back end of the trough, where it is the same width as the continuous paper wrapper, and run regularly at equal angles to the front end, and also stand clear of the sides of the trough to let the edges of the paper pass inside. These converging slits act to gradually turn up the edges of the wrapper, so that it assumes atrough shape, the edges standing perpendicularly and coming closely against the sides of the continuous ller as it passes out of the trough 33. The plates 35 stand up above the bottom of the trough, as seen in Fig. 12, so that when the edges ot` the continuous paper wrapper strike the elevated converging sides thereof they will be turned up. From the point in the trough 33, where the continuous paper wrapper is brought under the continuous filler, the carrier-belt 37, having the same width as the channel 34, travels along under the wrapper and through the folding-guide to the grooved wheel, passing over, down, and around this wheel on the bottom of its groove, and thence running upward over pnlleys 3f) 38 to the trough again. The pulley 38 sets closely under the bottom of the trough and brings the belt level with the top of the wheel 20, and the lower pulley39 is set outin corresponding manner to carry the belt horizontall y away from the rim of the wheel. At this point where the belt leaves the finished contin nous cigarette is placed a tube 50, having an opening in the top, through which the beltpulley 39 runs, and at the outer end an orifice, with a face-plate 5l, that is in line with the cutting-knife 52 on the shaft 2. The knife is fixed by screws 53 to the end of an arm 5i on the shaft-collar 55 and is carried by the revolution of the shaft across the orifice and closely against the faceplate to give a clean cut. The knife has a V-shaped cutting-edge and is detachable from the arm for sharpening and also for adjustment. Between the point where the edges of the continuous wrapper are finally folded and united by the last folding-disk at the top of the grooved wheel and the point where the carrier-belt leaves the finished continuous cigarette a second belt (50 is arranged as a top belt to run inthe grooved rim of the wheel and bear on top of the continuous cigarette, so that in traveling around the outer half of the circumference the continuous cigarette is confined and carried between these two belts. Pulleys 5G, 57, 53, and- 59 are set at suitable points to hold the belt 60 against the rim of the wheel and carry it around beyond the wheel for endless travel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. From the lowest point of the rim ot' wheel 20, where the IOO IIO

and the disk 45.

two belts leave the groove and carry the continuous cigarette forward between them, a fixed guide-tube 61 embraces the sides of the continuous cigarette and the edges of the belts to keep the continuous cigarette in line and guide it properly to the end of the cuttertubes, as well as to preserve the shape of the continuous cigarette after it leaves the anges ot' the rim of wheel 20. This guide is cut away along the bottom to let in the belt and is fixed in the block 62. The strip of paper or continuous wrapper is drawn from the reel 7 0 and is carried upward to a roller 71 directly under the trough 33, that brings it level with the top face of the carrier-belt 37, from which point it remains on the belt until its edges are folded, pasted, and finally united, and the finished continuous cigarette is presented to the cutter.

Between the end of the trough 33 and the rim of the wheel 20,wl1ere the continuous cigarette enters its groove, is a folding-guide 40, consisting of two plates set parallel with each other directly above the rim of the wheel and carrying three folding-lips on their inner faces. The guide is supported in position to fill the space between the-trough and wheelrim by the bracket-arm 63, projecting from the back of the frame. These two plates, being let into the end of the trough 33, form a continuation of the channel forward and lead into the groove of the wheel and also a vertical extension of the sides of the groove above the standing edges of the wrapper, which at this part of the mechanism are first turned over one upon the other and then pasted and pressed together by the joint operation of the folding-lips before mentioned and the two rotating disks 15 and 45. To the shorter one of the plates and in front of the first disk are fixed two folding-lips 41 and 101 in such position that the first one acts on the standing edge of the front fiap of the paper and turns it over preparatory toqmeeting the second lip, while this part 101 gives the final turn and brings the edge down flat to pass under the disk 15. A similar lip 42 on the inner side of the opposite plate is fixed in front of the second disk 45 to act in the same manner on the back edge of the paper wrapper, and thus in being drawn through this guide the two standing edges of the wrapper are folded down smoothly and evenly upon the filler in the grooved wheel by the joint action of the curved lips and the rotating disks. The two leading folders 4l 101 produce an even and uniform fold of one edge of the paper, and the disk 15 operates to hold it down smoothly and prevent any disposition on the part of the paper to draw over to the opposite side while the other edge is being folded. This opposite edge is then readily folded in place upon the edge already turned down by the single lip 42 The first disk 15 is employed to lapply the paste in a continuous line under the edge of the upper folded edge or side, and therefore in addition to its function as a folder for the front edge of the wrapper it serves to lay the paste between the two lapped edges. The paste is supplied and delivered in suitable quantity on the top face of the disk near the edge of its rim from a paste-fountain 43, having in it an upright grooved wheel 44, that dips into the trough and carries a fine-cord belt 46, running from a small pulley 47 on the opposite side of and close to the disk. The wheel 44 is fixed to the pulley 56, that carries the belt 60, as shown in Figs. 5 and 11, and being continuously rotated by this belt the wheel causes the cord to travel through the paste and become charged with that material. The cord is set to run against the rim of the disk 15, so that it operates to lay a continuous line of paste upon the top surface thereof, excess of paste being removed from the cord before it touches the disk by a scraper 49, that is fixed on a supporting-arm 48 at the front side of the trough. The pulley 47is mounted on the end of a movable arm that is fixed to the front of the stand 17, by which the disk-spindle 16 is supported, and by loosening the screw that holds this arm the pulley 47 can be set up or down to regulate the contact of the cord with ihe surface of the pasting-disk.

The mechanism that feeds forward the tobacco and bringsit into shape to pass through and be finally acted on by the channeled trough 33 joins the back or receiving end of the trough, and consists of the four belts 80, 8l, S2, and 83, that are driven from the fourth and fifth beveled gears on the shaft 3 by means of the connecting-gears shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6, and are placed in pairs to inclose the four sides of .a square which approaches in cross-section the shape of the filler. The bottom one of these belts is the feed-belt 80, and is carried around the pulley 84 backward to the outer end of the inclined table 35 and forward over the roller 86. The two rollers St and 86 are set at the same height, and between them is fixed the stationary supporting-bar 87, which holds the belt level and in horizontal position its entire length close to the front of the table. This bar has raised sides to keep the belt in line, and also openings through it at intervals to discharge such mat` ter as shreds of tobacco that may get under the belt. Instead of this stationary bar, however, a rail having rollers set in it at intervals apart could be used, as illustrated in Fig. 16. The feed-belt and the inclined table can be carried out to an indefinite length to accommodate any desired number of Workmen. As such construction is readily understood, l have not deemed it necessary to illustrate a greater length than that shown in the drawings, which I deem sufficient to enable a skilled mech anic to construct any desired length.

Motion is given to the feed-belt bythe spurgears 63 64 65 and the bevel-gear 66, that engages with the driver 12. These gears also operate the top-belt S2 directly over the feedbelt, the gear 64 being fixed on the axle ofthe roller SS and the belt carried from this roller IOO IIO

back to the larger roller 89. The two side belts S1 and S3 receive motion from the last driver 13 through the train of gears 72 7 3 74 75, that connect the two wheels 7 G 77 together, and the spindle 7S of the back one with thc bevel-driver on the shaft 3.

In the present construction the top and side belts are formed of links and the face that runs in contact with the tabacco is covered by a belt 00 of leather to present asinooth surface and keep the link belts from becoming clogged with fine particles of tobacco; but when a belt formed of closely-joined links that will present a practically smooth surface is used the leather covering can be dispensed with. The four belts thus placed in position to inclose a rectangular space operate to feed in and compress the tobacco and are set parallel for the greater portion of their length, so that the continuous filler for the cigarettes is substantially square in crosssection; but at the outer end, where the tobacco is carried into the machine by the feedbelt, the adjacent faces of the top belt and the two side belts are set outward to give the end of the passage in the trough a funnel shape. The greater portion of the four traveling surfaces, however, run parallel and act directly against the tobacco to compress and bring it to the shape of the square passage. For this portion of the length the four belts run within a tubular passage that is formed by the four fixed plates 92, 93, 94, and 95, the arrangement of which will rbe understood from Figs. 3, 5, and G. The plates 92 93 are fixed by screws to the bottom plate 91k and set against the backs of the side belts. The plate 95 is fixed between the head-blocks that carry the sprocket-wheels 7 6 77 and roller 88 and set over the acting side of the top belt. In front of the two rollers 84: 8S is a stationary tubular guide 00, that is a continuation of the top belt and bottom belt and extends forward to the channeled trough, with the side belts extending for its whole length and setting closely to it on either side. At the end of this guide 0G is placed the top belt 32, that travels in the channel of the trough.

Provision is made for adjusting the beltcarrier sprocket-wheels 79 79 to bring the side belts closer together or to increase the space between them at this end by mounting the wheels in slides 97, movable in slotted bar 98 and held by set-screws 99. This construction is shown in Figs. 7 and S, the part 0S being supported by the back frame of the machine.

Belt-cleanin g brushes are placed at suitable points to remove the shreds of tobacco and other matter from the belts. These may be driven positively from one shaft or the other, as in the case of the brush 100, which is operated from the lower shaft 2 by a belt and pulleys, as shown in Figs. l and 3, or may be arranged to run by contact with the belts, as shown at other points along the belts in Figs. 1, 5, and 6.

At some point between the pasting and folding and the cutting device I arrange a' pair of rollers with grooved faces to run on opposite sides of the continuous cigarette and by sufficient pressure to act on the same, which is caused to pass between them before being cut. The office of these rollers or wheels is to loosen the tobacco and bring the continuous cigarette into somewhat of a cylindrical shape, so that a full and uniform draft will be insured during the consumption.

The continuous cigarette as produced by the several mechanisms before described is substantially square in cross-section, and the tobacco in passing through the various passages and devices and in traveling on the grooved wheel becomes more or less condensed or compressed, and in some cases the cigarette requires to be loosened by rolling or pressing before being smoked. To remedy this and produce perfect freely-smoking cigarettes, I run the continuous cigarette of rectangular form in cross-section through a pair of rollers, in which are grooves of suitable contour to press more particularly against the corners of the square-shaped continuous cigarette.- In the present construction I have placed a pair of such wheels 102 102 to act on the continuous cigarette at the point where it passes through the cutter-tube and just before the knife acts upon the continuous cigarette, this point being just outside the belts and the most convenient for the device. These wheels are set on opposite sides of the tube 50, and are geared together at the back, while their grooved faces set through the tube and run closely together. Power is applied to one of the wheels by means of a sheave on the spindle of the wheel and a belt 103 from a sheave lOl on the shaft 2. This is a simple way of applying power from the shaft.

The construction and operation of the machine will be clear from the following description: The tobacco deposited on the inclined table is conveniently at hand for the work-4 men, who first loosen and dress it and then distribute it along the feed-belt in a narrow strip or continuous pile of uniform thickness. This continuous charge of tobacco is carried forward by the feed-belt through the space or passage formed by the four belts, from which it advances to the channeled trough, where the continuous paper wrapper is brought under it, and from this point the folding and pasting begin. The final fold in the continuous paper wrapper is completed while the continuous cigarette lies in the groove of the large wheel, and during the remainder of the travel, until it is presented to the cutter, `the continuous cigarette is carried in the groove. Sufficient time is thus allowed for the pasted edges to set and be dried before passing under the cutter, and, besides, all therparts of the folding, pasting, and cutting mechanisms are brought well under the eye of one workman, who can give attention to any part from his position in front.

IOO

Certain devices and combinations of devices herein shown and described are not claimed herein, but are claimed in my application, Serial No. 348,804, filed April 2l, 1890, to which reference is made.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a continuous-cigarette machine, a guide or mouth piece comprising two parts, an inner and on outer one, the outer part being trough-shaped and having upwardly-pro jecting and convergin r sides and the inner part corresponding in shape and fitting between said sides, converging slits, and an under space being left between the two parts for the passage ot the wrapper between them, the inner part having a guideway along which the continuous filler is adapted to pass onto the paper Wrapper, substantially as set forth.

2. In a continuouscigarette machine, a guide or mouth piece comprising two parts, an inner andan outer one, theouter part having a troughed portion and upwardly-projecting and convergin0F sides and the inner part corresponding in shape and tting between said sides and in the troughed portion, converging slits, and an under space being left between the two parts for the passage of the wrapper, the inner part having a guideway along which the continous filler is adapted to pass onto the paper wrapper, substantially as set forth.

3. In a continuous-cigarette machine, a

guide or mouth piece comprising two parts, an inner and an outer one, the outer part being trough-shaped and having upwardly projecting and converging sides and a channel and the inner part corresponding in shape, so as to iit between said sides, converging slits, and an under space being left between the two parts of the guide or mouthpiece for the passage of the wrapper between them, the 1nner part having a guideway along which the continuous iller is adapted to pass onto the paper wrapper, combined with a carrier-belt, substantially as set forth.

4. In a continuous-cigarette machine, a guide or mouth piece comprising two parts, an inner and an outer one, the outer part being trough-shaped and having upwardly pro-- jecting and converging sides and the inner part corresponding in shape, so as to t between said sides, converging slits, and an under space being left between the two parts of the guide or mouth piece for the passage of the wrapper between them, the inner part having a guideway along which the continuous filler is adapted to pass onto the paper wrapper, combined with a foldingguide 40, having lips as described, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

HENRY BOHLS. [L. s]

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OsBoRN, CHAs. E. KELLY.. 

